A Picture of Words
by JC-zala
Summary: Stories are born from a writer's imagination and perspective. A picture is worth a thousand words. Art and stories are created as artists see and think of them. This is a collection of one-shots of various Bleach Couples.ISHIHIME Hospital Scene Up!XD
1. A Coarse Breeze of a Reunion

**Wise (and silly) notes from the author: "**A Picture of Words" is a series of One-shots of my favorite Bleach pairings, particularly based on a fanart made by various talented artists. Whether they're sketches, colored arts, digital, traditional, vectors, or doujin, when I get inspiration from them to write, I just do it. Of course, I'm not gonna forget to credit the artists that gave me that inspiration. The one-shots will be based on my interpretation of the arts. I'll be posting the links of the art in my profile every time I update.

**

* * *

A Picture of Words  
By: JcZala**

**Art Inspiration by: EspadaDina  
Bleach Pairing: **Ulquiorra Cifer & Orihime Inoue**  
The First Canvass: **A Coarse Breeze of a Reunion

_Her heart was like a blank canvass…_

It's been difficult these days, she realized, as she crossed the road, heading home from her work. Often times, whenever she's alone, her thoughts would always lead her to those sad and painful memories of the past. She was known for her sunny smiles and vivid imaginations, and no one at school or at work could tell that she was really a lonely person inside. She already had overcome the immense loneliness she felt when her big brother died with her best friend's help. But now she was experiencing a loneliness fueled by grief, pain, and regret.

She had the ability to reject events, the power to violate the realm of gods, just as she'd been told, and she was able to save the one person who opened her eyes, who made her realize the grave mistakes she did, and the one who made realize her strength. She wished she could undo all the mistakes in the past, but all she can do was to change the way she felt about it.

It was the right thing to do, even though her friends were skeptical about it. Sure, he was the one who kidnapped her, locked her away, and tried to kill her friends, but he was able to redeem himself. He was merely following the orders of his superior, and she could see it in him that he wasn't evil. He was just a being shrouded in darkness and she was able to reach out to him and brought him to the light.

It's been a year from the time when she last saw him. She wanted him to come with her and live in the human world. But she wasn't able to ask him. It was difficult for her. There wasn't a day she hadn't think of him ever since halcyon days returned. Sometimes, she would occupy herself by daydreaming about random things, just to distract her from the sadness and longing she felt towards him, but it doesn't always do the trick.

A sigh escaped from her lips as she turned around the corner. She walked past a group of five men, all dressed kind of ruggedly. She failed to notice the malice in their eyes and the way they snickered like sly foxes. As she further occupied herself with her thoughts, these men approached her, joking loudly among themselves.

When she was almost at another corner, one of them called out to her. "Why not play with us for a while?"

She spun around, whipping her gorgeous wavy hair about, and looked at them immediately. "Um…" She pointed a finger at herself. "Are you talking to me?"

One of them took a step forward. He was wearing a white shirt underneath the open black jacket and a pair of blue jeans. "Woah…Look at you!" he exclaimed excitedly and rather sinisterly. "You're a babe!"

"Pretty face and a nice rack too," another one said, licking his lips, as if he was ready to eat her.

"I really have to be going now," she said innocently. "I still have homework to do."

"No need to rush. Come spend time with us, babe," the man said, as the others chuckled gruffly.

If these men thought she would get scared that easily, then they have another thing coming. She had handled hollows, faced dangers and survived, so handling a group of hooligans won't be a problem for her. She was ready for their attack.

Their minds were filled with disgusting, malevolent things, even she could tell that much. They were ready to taste her, to knock her out senselessly, but before they could even take a step closer to her, their expressions suddenly changed to somewhat frightened, as if they'd seen a ghost or a monster, and she recalled doing nothing yet. Well, she had every intent of beating them up with her martial arts though.

"Let's get out of here!" one of the guys yelled, and all of them panicked, spun around and made a run for it.

This left her baffled. "I wonder what their problem is…" she muttered, scratching the back of her head.

"Are you always this oblivious, woman?" a voice questioned.

"I do daydream a lot, you—wait… huh?" She turned her head, peering over her left shoulder to look at the owner of the voice. And then she just froze, obviously surprised.

"Regardless whether you can fight or not, it's not wise for a woman such as yourself to be walking alone at night," he said in such a cool, composed manner.

She blinked, still unable to grasp the reality in front of her. Or maybe she was having one of her delusions again. She stared at his face, studied his flawless features highlighted by the ray of the moon. He was wearing her school's uniform, looking very refined and very human. He no longer had the tear marks on his face and the broken helmet was missing.

"I can assure you that I'm as real as the air you breath, woman," he said curtly, leaning forward, as he brushed a mass of hair to trail a finger down her neck. His touch was cold against her skin, yet it gave rise to an unexpected heat inside her. His whisper, as soft as the night breeze, sent shivers down her spine. "I came back for you…Inoue Orihime…" And the way he muttered her name made her heart race.

She was speechless. It was as if she was under his strong, mystifying, sensual spell. And she swore that her face turned even redder the moment he lightly brushed his thumb across her lips. She felt her knees weakening. It was too much and too exhilarating.

"And I believe this belongs to you," he whispered again, jumpstarting her heart once more, as he pulled away to gaze into her silver orbs. His hand stayed where her heart was, to her surprise. As he withdrew his hand, he revealed her most precious memento, the Shun Shun Rikka, now pinned on her uniform.

For a moment there, she thought he was going to kiss her. "Ulquiorra…" She giggled in the sweetest way, and he looked at her, obviously thinking absurdly of her reaction. Then, without warning, she kissed him on the cheek. Even with a mask of indifference, she could sense that he was somewhat surprised with what she did.

"And what was that for?" he questioned.

"For bringing back my Shun Shun Rikka," she said cheerfully. She stepped forward, bringing her face close to his, as she smiled. "And this is for coming back to me." She spread her arms wide and gave him a great big hug. "Thank you, Ulquiorra. It won't be lonely anymore with you around."

She had never wished for anything greater the moment she took that step out of Hueco Mundo. He no longer belonged there, despite being a hollow, and that's because he already possessed something precious. When they reached out for each other, she knew from then on that the bond between them will never be broken, that they were always going to be connected.

"Let's go home, Ulquiorra," she said, taking hold of his hand, and the ex-Espada graced her with a rare smile.

_And the canvass is filled… _

* * *

JC: That's the end of the first one-shot. Simple, really, but it's the scenario I thought off the moment I saw EspadaDina's sketch. If you wanna see the art, the **link** is in my **profile page**. Once again, I'd like to extend my thanks to **EspadaDina **for drawing such a cute art. Now I wanna see some reviews. No flaming please. After this, let's move on to the next one.


	2. Wear It

**Ramblings of Nothings: **Okay, another week without a new chapter. I'm getting more anxious. I wanna see my Orihime-chan again. If only Ulquiorra would come back too…Oh, sensei, please bring Ulquiorra back! But enough of that for now. Here's the second installment of a Picture of Words. This time the story is inspired by a fanart by NightlyFirefly, a very talented artist with a passion for UlquiHime. I write this story based on how I see the picture. I hope I captured them well.

**

* * *

A Picture of Words  
By: JcZala**

**Art Inspiration by: NightlyFirefly  
Bleach Pairing: **Ulquiorra Cifer & Orihime Inoue**  
Number 2 on the List: **Wear It

"How long are you going to make me wait, woman?" questioned the pale-skinned man, who was seated in the living room, waiting for the woman to come out of the bathroom. She was in the middle of 'dressing-up for their date' and she specifically told him that girls need ample time to prepare because they need to look good for the guy. He understood little about the concept of dating between a man and a woman, especially how women view it, though they've been out on a few. He cared less about how she'll appear to him, since she had always been so beautiful in his eyes.

"Just give me five more minutes!" came her voice from behind the bathroom door.

Ulquiorra Cifer just let out a silent sigh, shifting in his seat, as he leaned his cheek on a closed hand. "Must we really go through with this?" he said, monotonous as usual. "We spend every minute with each other every day. What makes this one special?"

"Because it's our anniversary!" she shouted back.

And Ulquiorra sighed once again. Anniversaries were supposed to be a very special day for couples, especially married ones, and the woman had planned everything for this day, much to his chagrin. He stood up and walked to the full-length mirror. Seeing the reflection on the mirror, he had to admit that the clothes she picked out for him were quite comfortable. He wore a white shirt with the word 'PRIDE' printed in classic gothic font, dark jeans and a black belt with silver adornments, a pair of black shoes, and a silver chain necklace with a razor sharp tooth pendant.

"I'm done!" she exclaimed cheerfully as she stepped out of the bathroom.

Upon laying his eyes on her, Ulquiorra found himself loss for words. How should he describe her? It was as if she popped out of a fashion magazine. Her outfit highlighted her beautiful figure perfectly. The light-pink blouse had a deep V-neckline which exposed a good amount of cleavage that was very tempting to his eyes. On top of the blouse was a dark violet open jacket with 3/4 sleeves and pink underside. She also wore a red belt around her waist and black frilly mini-skirt that that showed off those long, slender, creamy legs, and a trendy necklace with three gold pendants. Orihime Inoue was the type who can make almost every girl around her turn green in envy without even trying. Her hair was in a fine shade of orange, so long and silky to touch, gently cascading to the middle of her back, and her flower-shaped hairpins were always a nice touch.

Orihime was smiling so brightly as she twirled around to show off her outfit. "So, how do I look?"

He felt a sudden heat burning inside his chest. He swore that he caught a glimpse of her black panties. "That outfit unexpectedly suits you," he said, maintaining a composed tone.

She pouted like a child. "You said that about my Arrancar uniform before," she said, placing both hands on her waist.

"Then what do you want me to say—that it doesn't suit you?"

She sighed. "That's not what I meant…"

"Let's not waste any more time here."

Immediately she drove a palm to the tip of his nose. "Wait just a sec! You're not ready yet!" She smiled smugly before she pranced to the dresser. "Let's see here…" She rummaged through the dresser for a few seconds and pulled out a lacy-like, plaid-patterned coat and a white jacket. "Here we go!" She turned to Ulquiorra and shoved the clothes to his chest.

He raised a brow. "And what is this?"

"It's the rest of your outfit, silly," she replied with a giggle. "Wear it!"

He took the clothes from her hands, put them on, and faced the mirror once more. Once again he had to admit that her taste in fashion was satisfactory. When he turned back to her, he noticed how she gazed at him from head to toe. "If you're done ogling, I'd like us to get this date over with," he told her, and she gulped and blushed in return. "What are you fidgeting so much for?"

Scratching the back of her head, she let out a nervous chuckle. "I didn't think…Well, I sort of did…" The tint of blush on her face turned darker as she fiddled with her fingers.

"Woman, you are not making any sense as usual," he said.

Clasping her hands together against her chest, she shut her eyes tight and said, "You look so handsome, Ulquiorra!" Then she instantly clamped her mouth, obviously feeling embarrassed and half-anticipating his brutally blunt reply.

"Does it bother you, perhaps?" He threw a mocking smile in her direction, and her breath got caught in her throat. In truth, he was rather pleased about the compliment and was even more satisfied in seeing such endearing expressions from her. "If I can cause such reactions from you then I wouldn't mind dressing up every day."

"T-The clothes don't make the man," she said, slightly stuttering. The blush on her face was still apparent. "You look good in anything…" She was too adorable to bear.

"I see…" He took her hand in his, squeezing it gently, and he looked up at him. "The compliment I gave a while ago…" His face turned serious and cold. "It was merely an insult."

A frown greased her lips. "Umm…Is that so?" She looked a bit hurt. "Then I should—"

"You deserved better," he continued, brushing his cool fingertips against the smoothness of her cheeks. "You look very beautiful, Orihime."

Orihime's face turned as red as a bright Christmas bulb, and he couldn't help but smile. "T-Thank you…"

He inclined his head slowly until his lips brushed against the corners of cheeks and down to her neck. "No matter how much time passes, you still fascinate me, woman," he whispered, his breath was warm and sensual on her neck.

"Ulquiorra…" she whispered her name.

"Orihime…" His fingers gently traced her luscious lips.

She held his face between her hands and smiled so tenderly. "I love you so much, Ulquiorra."

Snaking his arms around her petite waist, he pulled her closer against his body. "I feel the same way about you," he answered, smiling that rare smile once again. Then he leaned down to press his lips against hers.

This was their first year anniversary together. He first thought of the occasion as something mundane, but it seemed like he was going to enjoy the day with her. Of course, even though he had expressed his distaste at first, he still did get her a nice present, which was a lacy silk nightgown that he bought with his own money that earned from his part-time job. What compelled him to buy such a thing was beyond his usual comprehension, but he somehow wanted his woman to wear it.

And if she ever declines, he has his ways of definite persuasion…

_Later that night… _

"Wear it," Ulquiorra told her, his tone of authority crystal clear, and Orihime swallowed hard. "Understand, woman, this is not a request."

The narrowed green gaze sent shivers up and down her spine. In her hands was the nightgown he gave her for their anniversary. Well, she was simply thrilled that the design was cute, however, she had one big problem with it. The gown wasn't going to cover much of her skin. "D-Do I have to wear this now?"

"Shall I strip you naked and force it on you?" he said, and she vigorously shook her head. "Don't test my patience, woman. You made me wear the outfit you chose for me."

"All right, I'll wear it!" she exclaimed as she ran to the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

She had showered before she put on the nightgown. Her hair had been loose, and under the light of the room, her features glowed perfectly, making her look as innocent as an angel yet surprisingly seductive at the same time. "It's too short," she wailed, flushing red in embarrassment.

"You've never looked better," he said, approaching her, reaching out to touch her. He caressed her red cheek with one hand, then running it down her neck to her bare shoulder. She trembled under his touch. And as he leaned down, he whispered into her ear, "But I'm sure you'll look better without it."

She stiffened. "Ul-Ulquiorra!"

He kissed her forehead, then her lips, and then pulled her against him, wrapping his arms tightly around her. He felt her relaxed in his arms, and she gazed at him with those soft silver eyes.

"Ulquiorra…" she whispered.

He held her face firmly, kissing her mouth a little too hard, but she didn't seem to mind at all. Soon enough, all of their clothes were thrown on the floor as they drifted to the night in bliss.

_The End_

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JC: Sorry, I had to end it there. I didn't want to include any lemon stuff for this. XD Maybe I'll try to take on another Bleach couple for my next one-shot. I have my favorites and there are loads of nice arts about them. I just need the right amount of inspiration. LOl… Please don't forget to review. No flaming.


	3. Of Maids, Butlers, and Kisses

**Christmas Greetings from the Author: **Hi there, all you merry people, especially IshiHime fans! Jczala here with an IshiHime one-shot based on the fanart made by the talented **AlexaClyne**. She is just awesome when it comes to IshiHime arts and she draws them a lot. I sort of have a fetish for maid and butlers (blame it on Anime and Manga), and when I saw her art featuring Orihime and Ishida as a maid and butler respectively, I knew that I just had to write a story about it. This will be **my Christmas Gift to AlexaClyne** and I hope she likes it.

**Additional Note: **If wanna check out Orihime's maid outfit and Uryuu's butler costume, and AlexaClyne's art, just visit my profile and click on the links.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. It belongs to Tite Kubo. All I own here is this story.

**

* * *

A Picture of Words  
By: JcZala**

**Art Inspiration by: AlexaClyne  
Bleach Pairing: **Uryuu Ishida & Orihime Inoue**  
3 Things before Christmas: **Of Maids, Butlers and Kisses...

December 24.

He's been her boyfriend since they've graduated from High School this year. Falling in love with her was just inspiring. She had always been good to him, always ready to cheer him up when the mood gets down, and she never disrespects his choices. He had always admired her beauty and personality, her wild and crazy imagination, her empathy and compassion.

It was the morning before Christmas Day and Orihime was up bright and early, preparing breakfast for her lovable boyfriend.

He came down the stairs, yawning sleepily. He was wearing light blue pyjamas with cupcake patterns. It was her present for his birthday last November. She bought it because she knew it would look cute on him. Plus, she just loves cupcakes and sweet things.

"Orihime-san, good morning," he greeted, adjusting his glasses. "What brings you here so early?"

Basically, she was allowed to come in and out of his house as much as she wanted. Uryuu had given his permission and spare keys. Orihime had often stayed over too, but nothing intimate every happen to them. He would never force himself upon her, even though he gets these mixed feelings of lust and passion at times. Who can blame him? With a face of an angel, long orange hair so smooth and silky, and innocent silver eyes, she was too beautiful for words. She had the most curvaceous body and a well-endowed chest. She was like an idol, so it's no wonder why she's the most sought after girl in school.

"I wanted to cook you breakfast," she said, and Uryuu made a face. "I hope you're hungry, Uryuu-kun!"

He nodded nervously, smiling. "Umm... Okay then..." She had the looks and the smarts, but she's a rather terrible cook.

As Orihime was getting the plates, Uryuu heard the phone rang. He walked toward the phone in the living room and picked it up. Much to his chagrin, it was his sadistic bastard of a father on the other line. Now what would Ryuuken Ishida want from him on Christmas Eve?

"My friend, who happens to be the top photographer of a modelling magazine, is in dire need of one male and one female model. I've recommended you and Orihime-san for the job," Ryuuken said without falter.

Uryuu almost dropped the phone from his hand. "You did what?" he exclaimed.

"You are in no position to refuse. If you do not wish for me to expose your most embarrassing childhood secret to Orihime-san, then do not even think of bailing out," Ryuuken followed up with an equally cold tone.

"Wait a minute! Don't I get a say on this?" Uryuu yelled back. Only his father could make him this flustered and downright annoyed. "And what are we modelling for? Clothes? Coats? Suits?"

"You'll know once you get there," Ryuuken said. "I've already sent the address to your phone. Be there by 3 o'clock sharp or else."

He was boiling in a considerable amount of frustration. His pride was urging him to challenge his father, but his mind told him that it would be just a waste of time.

* * *

So after an hour of make-up and hair styling, Uryuu stepped out of the dressing room and walked towards the studio with an ominous feeling. He adjusted his collar and suit before stopping in front of the door. He tried to guess what kind of outfit Orihime would be wearing, while opening the door, and entering the studio. The photographer did tell him that he was cosplaying as an anime character, who happens to be a butler, so Orihime was probably going to be his mistress or a maid.

He had never dreamed of being a butler, much less than pretending to be one, though he had to admit that the white suit was much to his liking.

Then he heard sighs of admiration, giggles and whistling, and before he could wonder, he heard the cute voice of Orihime from outside the studio.

"I've never worn something like this before," Orihime said. "Do you think Uryuu-kun will like it?

"Of course, he will!" a female, probably one of the assistants, answered her.

Truth be told, he felt a bit nervous. He had never modelled before, especially not with a girl. Knowing Orihime, she might pull the modelling thing well. He feared that he might make her look bad in front of the camera, and he didn't want that. Sighing, he noticed that his left sleeve was unbuttoned. He lifted his arm and buttoned it right away, as Orihime pranced into the studio with a big bright smile on her face.

"How do I look?"

He peered over his shoulder to look at her. It was more than he had expected. His whole body turned around like a stiffed robot.

"Is it okay?" she asked happily.

Blushing crazily, he cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses with two trembling fingers. "I-It's cute..." he said, almost mumbling his words. He felt his temperature rising to great proportions. _That skirt...is too showy... _He mentally slapped himself for imagining something naughty. Yes, indeed, the skirt was showy. It was too short. The outfit she wore was a French Maid outfit with a shortened version of a skirt. The apron, headband, and thigh-high stockings were light pink in color instead of pure white.

Thigh-highs and short skirt—what a sexy combination! Not only that, the outfit highlighted her body so well, especially the chest, and Uryuu felt like he was going to nosebleed. Her hair featured lovely and elegant corkscrew curls, and her hairpins were conveniently pinned on the side of her head band. The costume looked perfect on her, as if it was made especially for her.

"You really think it's cute?" she asked, smiling.

Still blushing like an overripe tomato, Uryuu nodded his head.

* * *

The photo session took longer than expected. They started out about 4:30 in the afternoon and ended about 5 minutes before 7:30 PM. It was exhausting. The photographer will tell you how to pose, how to express yourself, how to deliver the desired look into the camera, and you have to adapt to every pose you make. It definitely required a lot of time and patience, and some poses can just hurt your back once you stay in the same position for like 5 minutes or so.

Uryuu and Orihime were not the only models there. There were two others, who posed as their master and mistress. The photographer had taken loads of pictures of them.

Uryuu was more the impressed with the way Orihime handled herself. She had never modelled before, but there was no stiffness, no posing, though there were the occasional clumsiness, which was totally fine and cute for the photographer (for some reason, thinking it was 'MOE'). She was able to adapt herself to the situation. He had to force himself, to give it his all, no more, no less.

After the shoot the photographer showed them the best pictures he had taken. There was one of them in a garden setting. Orihime was sitting on a rose-decorated bench with rose bushes in the background. Her ankles were crossed and her hands were placed on her lap, and her smile was so sweet. On the other hand, Uryuu was standing right behind her, both hands on her petite shoulders, smiling handsomely to the camera.

Then there was a nice shot of her on the bed with her feet drawn up under her, her knees to the side. Her thigh-highs were removed for that, and she looked so sexy. Uryuu found it astonishing that a French Maid outfit can turn an innocent girl such as Orihime into a sexy temptress.

The photographer had promised them that he would send them copies of the photographs and a copy of the magazine when it's published. Although embarrassed about it, he was actually excited for the photographs.

When they were on their way to the dressing room, Orihime suddenly came to a halt.

"What's the matter, Orihime-san?" he asked, and he noticed her lips curving into a soft smile. "Orihime-san?"

"A few hours away till Christmas," she said. "Are you excited?"

"I would be lying if I said I didn't," he said.

"Then let me give you an early Christmas present," she said, stepping forward and placing her hands against his chest. "I'll do everything you'll tell me to, master."

Was it getting hotter or was it just him? Uryuu suddenly felt that his tie was on too tight and his coat was too thick. To have such a pretty face so close to his was making his heart race. She was being direct, being sweet, and she was waiting for his reply. Closing his eyes for an instant, he took a deep breath. Then he brought a hand under her chin and gently tilted her chin, his eyes growing soft. It was Christmas Eve and she did make the offer, so why not go through with it. "Kiss me..."

"My pleasure, my master," she said. She kissed him very tenderly.

He didn't make any sign of hesitation. He opened his mouth to her. Passion and excitement washed through him. The kiss grew more intimate by the second. Breasts touching his chest, Uryuu snaked his arms around her. Then his lips found her neck and covered it with kisses as Orihime sighed and let the sensation flow. He could feel it getting hard, but he didn't want to stop. He had his urges before and he'd always managed to control it. But with Orihime in such a sexy maid outfit, he found it difficult to control his hormones.

"Uryuu-kun..." she moaned under her breath.

Uryuu breathed against her neck. "Orihime-san..." He pinned her against the wall, clasped her head and forced his mouth onto hers. She tasted so delicious and her scent was intoxicating. "I love you," he whispered into her ear.

Orihime moaned and closed her eyes. "I love you too..." She managed to mutter before Uryuu claimed her lips.

He had never been this aggressive with her. Nevertheless, he can never deny the pleasure, the enchantment of this moment. He let out a sigh as he pulled away. Adjusting his glasses, he turned his line of sight to the right and cleared his throat. "Um...I'm sorry, Orihime-san. I guess I got carried away." He was way deep into the romantic mood that he almost forgot that they were in a public place. "And I apologize for making such a request."

She let out a giggle. "Don't be... In fact, I enjoyed it, master," she said.

"Orihime-san..."

She poked his chest and turned to the door of her dressing room. "Now let's change back and hurry home, so we can continue from where we left off," she said, winking an eye.

Uryuu turned redder than a bright Christmas bulb. "Wh-WHAT?" His glasses almost fell off by the shock. "Wh-What are you talking about, Orihime-san? Do you really want to—I mean—Is it really all right with you?" It was unbelievable. Were they finally going to do it tonight? Somehow, he felt really confused, really excited, and really afraid at the same time. What if he wasn't good in bed? What will Orihime think of him?

But before his fantasies were set to overdrive, Orihime suddenly said, "We're going to finish up the Christmas mittens we we're going to give to everyone, right?"

Uryuu's face went blank. "Pardon?"

"Only three more pairs to go," she said. "With our skills I'm sure we can finish it before Christmas, so we better hurry. I'll meet you by the entrance, okay?" She waved her hand, while opening the door, and entered the dressing room.

When the door closed, Uryuu released on big sigh and leaned his back against the wall behind him. "So she meant the mittens..." He wanted to slap himself so hard for even thinking of naughty, perverted things again. "Doesn't matter though..." He recalled the kiss, the intimacy, and her smiles, and realized that he got more than what he wished for this Christmas and it was all thanks to the sexy maid costume. Brushing a hand through his blue mane, he started toward his dressing room. _A butler and a maid sharing a wonderful Christmas together. That's worth remembering for a long time. _

**HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! **

* * *

JC: That's all for this one. Yay! This is, like, my first IshiHime story ever and I've written it for Christmas. I've totally enjoyed putting AlexaClyne's work into words. If you wanna see her work, feel free to visit my profile and look for the link there. I wanna see some reviews, people. No Flaming!


	4. LQ, Apologies, Confessions, and Present

**Late New Year Greetings: **2010 seemed so fast and now we're on the year 2011. First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I've already updated my latest UlquiHime Multichaptered fic entitled **Angelice**, which will also include the GrimmNel pairing. Speaking of GrimmNel, the one-shot here is about them. The story is inspired by an art made by **safirahcomelDeviantArt. **The fanart is actually Christmas-themed, but I portrayed the story during New Year time. It's sort of Grimmjow's late Christmas present for Nelliel. Before I forget, there's a bit of UlquiHime here.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I only own this story.

**

* * *

A Picture of Words  
By: JcZala**

**Art Inspiration by: safirahcomel  
Bleach Pairing: **Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez & Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck**  
Four Things to Greet the New Year: **LQ, Apologies, Confessions, and Present

"Grimmjow, I know you're there. Pick up the phone now."

Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez opened his eyes and slid a hand down his face. His whole apartment was dark, but the time on his digital clock was as clear as daylight. The time was 4:30 AM. "You've gotta be kidding me!" he grumbled.

"Pick up the phone or else I will be forced to use drastic measures." The cold voice was coming through his answering machine on the desk.

"Fuck you!" He jumped out of bed and marched across the room. He picked up the wireless phone and sunk into his desk chair, and yelled, "What the hell do you want, you bastard? And do you have any idea what time it is?"

"It's 4:32 AM," the caller answered flatly.

Grimmjow growled, "I wasn't asking about the time!"

"I have something to say and it is imperative that you will listen."

"Just spill it." There was a brief silence, which Grimmjow found odd and annoying. He opened his mouth to shout curses at his caller, and then stopped when he finally replied.

"You have a package. It's at your doorstep."

Frowning, he stood and headed to the door, bringing the phone with him. "You called me just to tell me that?" He ran a hand through his blue hair and sighed in frustration. "What a way to annoy me first thing in the morning! And it's New Year for crying out loud!" He grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door open.

Standing at his doorstep was a pale-skinned man of average height. He had emerald-green eyes, a black upper lip, and dark unruly hair. He was wearing a black long-sleeved turtleneck underneath the green jacket with a green scarf around his neck, along with black pants and shoes. To his utter dismay, the guy was Ulquiorra, the one who was on the phone with him at that very moment!

Grimmjow stared at him for an instant before he pushed the door closed and yelled into the phone, "You fuckin son of a bitch! You really love messing with me, don't you, Ulquiorra?"

"Did you just slam the door in Ulquiorra's face?" a new voice, a female one, asked in amazement.

Tossing a look over his shoulder, he saw an orange-haired beauty standing behind him. She was angelic in appearance, average in height, and had long, slender legs. She was wearing a white jacket on top of a black turtleneck, blue-pleated mini-skirt with black thigh-high stockings, and also wore a pair of brown knee-length boots. The girl was Orihime Inoue.

"How the hell did you get in here?" he questioned angrily.

But Orihime just gave off a smile. "Through the window," she answered cheerfully. "It wasn't locked, so I got in. I tried to convince Ulquiorra to use the window, but he didn't want to."

Grimmjow was about to burst as he lifted the phone to his ear. "You two are a real pain in ass," he said.

"I will not tolerate any ill-mannered words towards the woman, Grimmjow," Ulquiorra warned. "I suggest that you open this door this minute or else I will blast it with my Cero."

"A real pain in the ass." Grimmjow hung up and reached for the doorknob.

* * *

"You woke me up at this freakishly early hour just to tell me to go on a date with Nelliel?" Grimmjow exclaimed, dropping down on his sofa. "Forget it! I still wanna sleep, you know. And that party last night took a lot from me."

Shaking her head, Orihime walked toward him and pulled his arm. "Celebrating New Year in Japan means paying special attention to the 'firsts' of the year," she explained. "And did you forget the promise you made with her yesterday? You and Nel-chan were going to celebrate Hatsuhinode!"

Grimmjow looked up at her, raising a brow. "Hatsu-what now?"

"Hatsuhinode is the first sunrise of the year," Ulquiorra said, who was leaning against the wall, standing right beside the television. "Before sunrise on the 1st of January, some couples drive to the coast or climb a mountain to see the first sunrise of the New Year."

"And it's quite romantic!" Orihime added, still tugging on Grimmjow's arm.

"Why would I go through all the trouble just to drive to the coast or climb a mountain to see a stupid sunrise?" Grimmjow pulled his arm free. "To hell with that crap, I'm going back to bed."

A frown greased Orihime's lips. "But you promised Nel-chan," she said, clasping her hands together.

"I believe he was too drunk last night to even remember." Ulquiorra straightened and approached Grimmjow. "But I find it rather unpleasant that you wouldn't even consider Nelliel's feelings. Well, I somehow anticipated this."

Orihime sighed. "I feel sorry for Nel-chan. It's really important to spend the first day of the New Year with the people you care about."

Grimmjow stiffened as he recalled Nelliel's smiles and laughter during the New Year Eve's party last night. Unfortunately, they got into a big fight because of some misunderstanding, and then drank so much alcohol until he dropped. Everything was a blur after that, though he did realize that Ulquiorra and some other guy brought him back to his apartment in one piece. To be perfectly honest, he remembered the promise he made with her. He remembered about going to see the first sunrise of the year. But he wondered if Nelliel would even bother showing up. He was pretty sure she was still mad at him.

Still, he had to make it up for her...

Scratching the back of his head, he stood up and turned his head away from the curious gaze of Orihime. "Fine! I'm going!" he growled.

Clapping her hands in delight, Orihime turned on her heel and smiled up at Ulquiorra. "Isn't that great, Ulquiorra?"

Ulquiorra shifted, drawing his green gaze at his blue-haired friend. He could see the hesitation he had and he was sure that Orihime could sense it too yet she still encouraged him. Both of them were aware of the big fight between Grimmjow and Nelliel.

* * *

While Orihime was busy preparing for their own date, Ulquiorra waited for her outside her apartment. He was leaning against the wall, hands inside the pockets of his pants. It was already 5:15 AM. Only an hour away till the sun will rise. It was a relief they managed to convince Grimmjow to go, and Orihime had also persuaded Nelliel earlier on the phone.

Just then, Nelliel came by, and Ulquiorra took notice of the sad look in her hazel eyes. While his woman was like a cross between an angel and a princess in appearance, Nelliel was a voluptuous beauty with an alluring charm and sophistication. She wore her blue-green hair long and wavy in a ponytail. She was clad in a pink coat with a pair of magenta-colored leggings and gloves, and pink boots.

"Happy New Year, Ulquiorra!" Nelliel said, taking note of how she forced herself to be cheerful. And it was evident that she didn't have a good sleep.

"A Happy New Year as well," Ulquiorra said in monotone. "What brings you here this early?"

"I'm just here to drop off this New Year card for Orihime," Nelliel replied with a smile as she held up the card.

"The woman is still getting dressed. Why aren't you wearing a kimono? Do you not intend to meet with Grimmjow today?"

Nelliel lowered her gaze as she knelt down in front of Orihime's apartment door. "I'm still going to watch the first sunrise...but I'm not expecting him to be there," she said, slipping the card under the door. "I don't see any reason to get dolled up." A sad smile graced her lips.

Ulquiorra looked up at the dim sky. "I may not understand the conflict between the two of you completely, but I can understand why you're angry," he started, and Nelliel stilled herself. "Grimmjow is impulsive, foolishly aggressive, and absolutely stupid most of the time. His temper always gets the best of him. His arrogance level is off the charts. He's all bark and no bite. You might want to consider him as a stupid single-celled organism."

With an anime sweat-drop, Nelliel let out an awkward giggle. _I find it amazing how he can badmouth someone so smoothly like that and he said stupid twice. _

"However..." Ulquiorra shifted his gaze from the sky to Nelliel. "That's the Grimmjow you harbour feelings for, the Grimmjow who shares the same feelings for you as well. Yes, he was being immoral back at the party, but I doubt he wanted to hurt you. Why don't you cut him some slack?"

Nelliel could only blink in surprise. "Ulquiorra..."

And it was pretty odd to have her stare at him as if he was some kind of freak show.

Then she burst with laughter. "I can't believe you're actually giving me an advice!" She patted Ulquiorra's shoulder hard. "You're way, way, way different from the way you were before. I guess I have Orihime to thank for this." She skipped back, spun around, and held onto the railings. "I'm glad I came here this early. Thanks, Ulquiorra!" With that, she jumped over the railings from the second floor and landed gracefully on the ground. Afterwards, she hurried off to the site where they were going to watch the first sunset of the year.

* * *

On top of a building located downtown, Grimmjow stood on the railings, looking completely composed as he stared into the horizon. He was wearing a black turtleneck underneath a purple coat and brown pants with a brown scarf around his neck, and a pair of black shoes and gloves. His blue hair was spiky and unkempt as usual but that didn't hinder his natural good looks.

"It's almost dawn and she's nowhere in sight. I can't even sense her," he grumbled under his breath. "Probably because of this stupid gigai." He scratched the back of his head as he sighed in frustration. Patient was never his virtue. He hated waiting most of all. He already knew that Nelliel was going to be a no-show. Well, after what he did last night, he knew that she wasn't going to forgive him easily.

A sigh escaped his lips once again as he hopped back off the railings. Only a few minutes left till sunrise and she still wasn't there. What a happy new year for him, he thought as he slipped his hands into his pockets. But the moment he turned on his heels, a big-breasted beauty burst through the entrance.

He froze on the spot. Behind him the sun was rising over the horizon and right in front of him was really his girlfriend, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. He couldn't believe it. She really came, despite what he did.

Between her pants, she looked up at him and said, "Looks like I made it on time..."

Grimmjow felt his heart jumping for joy, but he kept a grumpy face as he turned his gaze away from her. "What the hell are you doing here?" he spouted, mentally slapping himself for letting his pride take over.

"A promise is a promise," Nelliel said, placing both hands on her hips. "We both promised each other to see the first sunrise of the year. I guess you're too dumb enough to even remember..." She shook her head disappointedly.

And that got his temper flaring. "Who are you calling dumb?" he exclaimed. "Of course, I remembered that stupid promise. Real bothersome, if you ask me. I wanted to catch some more Zs."

Nelliel felt her chest tightened. "So, you really had no intention of coming here...?" she questioned, and Grimmjow gave out a grunt in reply. "I see..." She clenched her hands, walked up to him, and punched him on the face.

The punch was strong enough to send him sprawling onto the concrete and it hurt like hell. "You b—" He stopped his mouth from cursing when he saw tears flowing down her cheeks. Now he really felt guilty. Why can't he stop acting like a big, fat jerk for once? "N-Nelliel...I..."

"Grimmjow, I can't believe you!" Nelliel yelled, choking and sobbing. "Why did you come here in the first place if you...if you don't care at all?"

He lowered his head in shame. "I'm here, aren't I? I came because we promised," he said solemnly, his voice still had the touch of roughness to it. "And back at the party...I only acted like a complete asshole because I..." His voice trailed off.

Wiping the tears away, Nelliel folded her arms in front of her chest. "Because you what? You had no right to punch Ichigo just because I hugged him! I was only being friendly to him."

"That's about it!" he exclaimed angrily, looking up at her. "You hugged that stupid Soul Reaper! I know you had a crush on him before and you just hugged him like I wasn't even there!"

"Take note of the past tense you used, Grimmjow," Nelliel said calmly. "I had a crush on him. That was then, okay? And I chose you, didn't I? Do you know why? It's because I love you." She managed to say that with a straight face, with no hint of hesitation at all.

Clenching his teeth, he got up back to his feet. "And do you know why I punched him? I was freaking jealous, okay? I don't want you hugging another guy, especially that stupid Soul Reaper!" Yeah, he was jealous. It was a disgusting emotion for him, to think he was jealous of Ichigo Kurosaki, of all people. "But I hate it more when we're like this."

"Grimmjow..." Nelliel's eyes softened. "I don't love Ichigo the way I love you. Ichigo's just a friend to me. You don't have to feel jealous." She motioned over this left side and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yeah," he replied with a grunt. "But don't stick so close to him next time. I'm okay with hand-shakes, but hugs? That's another—oof!" Between one breath and the next, he found himself with his arms full of giggling, smiling Nelliel. He took a moment to be thankful to see that smile on her face again.

"You're one complicated guy, Grimmjow," she said, kissing his cheek, making him slightly blush. "But I forgive you for being a jerk. All you need to do now is to apologize to Ichigo."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "Me? Apologize to that shitty dandelion head? No way in—ugh!" Nelliel, with a bit of force, elbowed his side. "Fine! I'll apologize! Jeez!"

Nelliel smiled. "Thank you!" she said cheerfully, giving him one big hug. "Since the sun is already up, I was thinking of visiting the shrine. We'll probably see Ulquiorra and Orihime there. We should say our—"

Grimmjow wound his fingers into the thick weight of her blue-green hair, titled her head back and silenced her with his mouth. She simply melted against him, her body pressed close to his. He kissed her until they were breathless. "I'd rather not spend my New Year with those two," he said, recalling the unexpected wake-up call from them earlier, which was really annoying.

"So, you want to spend it with me and me alone?" she said, giggling, as her eyes sparkled.

His cheeks turned slightly red. "Err...yeah...whatever." He cleared his throat, drawing back to pull out a small rectangular box from inside his coat. The box was wrapped in a red wrapper tied with a golden ribbon. When Nelliel saw that, Grimmjow felt more awkward. "Here...it's for you."

Nelliel clasped her hands together against her chest in glee. "A New Year present for me?"

His eyes slid away from hers, his expression uneasy. "It's your late Christmas present. I'm still new to these celebrations the humans are fussing about. That woman once told me that you I should get you a present. Better late than never, she says."

"I'm pretty new to all of this as well, but I'm really glad we came to live in the human world. We get to experience so many wonderful things." She leaned closer and kissed the bridge of his nose. "Thank you, Grimmjow, and Happy New Year," she whispered against his mouth.

"Happy New Year," he murmured before claiming her lips once more.

THE END

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**JC: **My first GrimmNel story is done! I would have posted it on January 1st if I wasn't so busy partying, eating, lighting fireworks, and did I mention eating? LOl... I'm pretty nervous about this at first. It's my first time writing a fic centered around Grimmjow and Nelliel. But the inspiration I got from the art really helped me. If you wanna see the art, just come visit my profile page and click on the link. It's up on DeviantArt. Please don't forget to review this story. No flaming!


	5. Give the Booboo a Kiss

**Some Notes to Read: **This is my second IshiHime one-shot based on another fanart made by the talented **AlexaClyne. **The story takes place in the hospital and few of the scenes here are inspired by the manga chapter where Ishida got hospitalized and took some bull from his sexy father, Ryuuken! LOL...I'm not going to take up space here any long. Feel free to read the story. Don't forget to review after this.

**Additional Note: **If wanna check out the art, just visit my profile and click on the links.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. It belongs to Tite Kubo. All I own here is this story.

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**A Picture of Words  
By: JcZala**

**Art Inspiration by: AlexaClyne  
Bleach Pairing: **Uryuu Ishida & Orihime Inoue**  
Just Five Words for the Sick: **Give the Booboo a Kiss

Orihime walked up the broad steps of the hospital doorway with mixed feelings of anticipation and uneasiness. She was visiting a very good friend of hers today. No, he wasn't her best friend, but she had always felt a special connection with him, a silent bond that was formed over the troubles and adventures they've gone through together. He had been hospitalized due to heavy physical injuries. The reason for his injuries? An unknown attacker with special powers, and what was more surprising was the fact it was human. To do such a terrible thing to her friend was inexcusable!

She actually visited him on the night he was attacked, after she received a call from his father. If his father hadn't arrived quickly at the scene of the crime, then her friend wouldn't be probably alive by now. She was thankful that her friend's father was one amazing doctor, though he was rather strict and uncaring towards his son.

A man clad in a white lab coat came out of the main door. He was a bespectacled man with beautiful silver hair that looked so soft to touch. His sharp, blue eyes held inaccessible coldness in them, but she found them more than alluring and reminded her of the eyes of her injured friend. "Good afternoon, Ishida-sensei," she greeted him with a smile. The man was in fact Dr. Ryuuken Ishida, the director of that hospital and the father of her friend, Uryuu Ishida.

The doctor held the door open for her and informed her that Uryuu was awake but rather in a bad mood. She smiled her thanks as she passed him.

He was lying in bed when she walked into the room, his dark head turned to the door as she came through it, stunning blue eyes behind a pair of glasses watching her walk towards him across the polished floor, making her strangely nervous.

"Good afternoon, Ishida-kun!" she said brightly, putting her schoolbag on the chair by his bed. "How are you feeling today?"

Uryuu forced a smile on his face, just to be polite to her. "My body's still sore, but I'm good," he said.

"Okay...That's good..."

Perceptive as usual, Orihime could sense the fake mask hiding his true face. Not only that, she was experiencing a familiar stirring of discomfort. He didn't want her there. She felt it in her heart. He didn't want anybody there. It made her sad for him. It wasn't the first time he wanted to be alone, not the first time he had to isolate himself and push everyone away. With the scars and the bandages wrapped around him, she knew more than anything that his pride was the most damaged. As a Quincy and an individual, Uryuu holds his pride in high regard.

"Umm...I know your father didn't want me to heal you, but I could fix you up real quick if you'd let me," Orihime said, keeping her tone cheery. "What do you say?"

Uryuu turned his head a little away from her towards the window. "I appreciate the offer, Inoue-san, but it would be best to let my injuries heal naturally."

Her eyes softened as she lowered her sight to the bandages around his right shoulder. Though bones in his ribs were still broken and he had severed tendons which had threatened to paralyze his right hand, the surgery Dr. Ishida had done had been effective. When Dr. Ishida called her and informed her of his son's injuries, she thought that he needed her powers to heal. But that wasn't the case when she got to the hospital. She got warned by Dr. Ishida instead about these humans with special powers and how she may be the next target of attack.

Nevertheless, she somehow felt that there was more to it than that. Ryuuken may have called to warn her of the impending danger, but she could see that the father merely wanted his son's friends to come over and comfort him. It was too bad that Uryuu couldn't see his father's true intentions. Well, if only his father wasn't busy being mean all the time then Uryuu would have seen the good side of him.

Reaching for her bag, she pulled out a plastic bag with two apples in it. "I brought you apples!" she said, breaking the silence. "It's good for you and it's important to regain your strength again. I'll slice them up for you, okay?"

He hadn't moved, and, feeling slightly perplexed, she turned to the kitchen counter and grabbed a peeler and a slicer from the drawer. Uryuu was provided with a deluxe room, so it almost had everything for a patient's convenience. After peeling and slicing the apples, she turned back to the bed and set the juicy apple slices on the bedside table. "Here you go! Eat up!"

"Thank you, Inoue-san," he said, softly and rather sadly. "So...How's Kurosaki? Is he doing anything reckless because of what happened to me?"

"Eh? Kurosaki-kun?" She sat down on the chair and sighed. "Well, I don't think he's doing anything reckless...But he seems really down lately. I know something's been bothering him. I tried asking him about it, but he assures me that everything is all right."

"Yet everything is not all right," Uryuu added as he struggled to sit up. "That guy isn't at all honest. I can always trust you and your intuition, Inoue-san."

She closed her eyes for an instant. "I've sensed a strange spiritual pressure around Kurosaki-kun..." Her voice trailed off.

"Yes...And I'm not sure what to make of it. It doesn't belong to a Soul Reaper or a Hollow," he said, clearly focused on his thoughts.

Her eyes jarred open in surprise. "So...you've sensed it too? Since when?"

"From the start. I was able to unmistakably sense it during the brawl we had with some thugs to the part where he was kidnapped by his boss."

A frown greased her lips. Feeling of sadness taking over, she balled her hands into fist. "But you told me that you didn't sense anything strange," she said in a controlled voice.

The face he turned to her was regretful and ashamed. "I figured it would be best for you not to get involved," he said. "I don't want you to get in trouble just because of Kurosaki."

"Bottom line here is that you lied to me, Ishida-kun," she said, her voice slightly raised. "And you don't want me to get involved? But Kurosaki-kun is our friend. It's only natural for friends to worry and help one another."

"I was simply thinking of your safety."

"I think I'm the one who should decide whether or not to get involved in such matters."

"Inoue-san, please! I don't want you to get hurt because of him again!" he exclaimed. Uryuu wasn't sure if it were the injuries or the damaged pride that made his temper flare so easily, or by the mere fact that his father spoiled his mood earlier, but he had to let out his frustrations and concerns.

She slammed her palms on the bed, glaring straight at the patient. "If it's for the safety of a friend, then I'm more than willing enough to put my life on the line. I'm even prepared to find out who did this to you and—"

Ishida grasped onto the bed sheet tightly, his blue eyes looking a little narrowed. "That's the same reason why I would rather deceive you than put you in danger," he said curtly. "Last time I checked, I failed in protecting you! I shouldn't have given in to your request. I know you only wanted to help Kurosaki, but still I shouldn't have brought you on top of the dome. I should have done a better job fighting that Arrancar." He shut his eyes tight, feeling the stinging pain from his injuries and his aching heart. "I couldn't even do a thing against that monster that came out of Kurosaki. In the end, there was only regret and pain. I was devastated to see you suffer. Now you want to search for an enemy that was strong enough to knock me down? Inoue-san, that's beyond reckless!"

"What happened to trusting your friend?" she challenged softly. "I'm not a Soul Reaper and sword specialist like Kurosaki-kun. I don't have hollow powers like Sado-kun. And I'm not a Quincy like you, Ishida-kun. But I'm not weak that needs to be showered with protection all the time. What happened in Hueco Mundo is something we can never forget. However, those experiences, no matter how horrible they may be, only made me stronger. Everything happens for a reason. Things go wrong, yes, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can be put together. Whatever mistakes we made, we just have to accept it and move on. I did...and I've trained so hard so I won't have to rely on anyone anymore for the past 17 months."

His jaw tightened, eyes glittering coldly. "I swore on my pride to protect you..."

"I'm tired of being protected!" she shouted. This was so unlike her, but she felt so heated and the words kept coming. "Ishida-kun, we all made promises, and most of us were not able to live up to them. We made mistakes. But if we can't handle ourselves at our worst, then you sure are going to live a life full of regrets." She straightened as her eyes were neared to tears. But when she instinctively turned away, his hand reached for her wrist and he brought her round roughly to face him again.

His face looked a little pale as he said contritely, "It's isn't just about my pride...The reason I'm so compelled to protect you, the reason why I felt so miserable when I saw you go through that hell back then...was because..."

Straining in an ineffective way against his grip, she said, "I'd rather get hurt than have you hurt because of me..."

"I feel the same way. I'd save you and protect you without questions. That's how important you are to me, Inoue-san."

As their eyes burned concern and guilt, the touch of his fingers against her skin acted like a strange drug on her senses. His eyes held hers, and her breath quickened. Her lips parted to softly speak out his name and gently he dropped her wrist as he turned his head away.

"I'm sorry for lying to you, Inoue-san," he said in a thinned voice.

"No, I should be the one apologizing...You were just concerned about me and I had no right to get mad."

"But I should have trusted you..."

"Ishida-kun, you've helped me out so many times...you've protected me and saved me from danger...and I—"

"Inoue-san, you know that I would—"

"Ishida-kun!" She bent down towards him, slamming both hands on the bed, locking him in place. "I-I didn't get the chance to thank you properly for everything!" Her mind was practically spinning and her heart was racing.

The deep shade of red across his face was a clear sign of his nervousness. Orihime's face so close to his that he could barely breathe.

Taking a deep breath, she smiled at him, her eyes cheerful and thoughtful, and gave him the thanks he deserved.

* * *

The handsome doctor was waiting by the door at the end of the long corridor and Orihime stopped to thank him.

"What do you see in that worthless son of mine anyway?" he said.

Orihime flushed red, thinking back of their little moment a while ago, and shook her head. "Umm...I know you really care for him, probably more than I do," she said, smiling up at him. "He's your son after all."

Ryuuken shot her an odd look that was almost mocking.

"Oh, no! I'm almost late for my job!" she exclaimed when she looked at her watch. "My boss is gonna scold me!"

Ryuuken silently sighed. "No shouting in the hospital," he said.

Instantly she clamped her mouth and bowed her head. "I-I'm sorry..."

The doctor shrugged as he spun on his heels. "And no love scenes either, understand?" Then he started walking away.

She still had her head down when she replied, "Yes sir...I'll remember next—Huh?" Her head shot up in shock. "Love scene? Did he?" Her whole face then turned red like an overripe tomato.

When the doctor reached his office, he pulled out his cellphone and looked up the image gallery. He opened a photo he took earlier and zoomed in. "I guess a kiss does make person feel better." He sat down on the chair behind his desk and set the phone down on the table. "At least for you, Uryuu." A smile graced his lips.

The picture displayed on the screen, featuring a lovely kiss scene between his son and Orihime, was going to be his new wallpaper for a while.

_Give the boo-boo a kiss to make it better..._

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JC: **A total of 5 pages for my 5th one-shot story in **A Picture of Words. AlexaClyne** is really talented in drawing, especially in IshiHime. I am glad that she's an IshiHime shipper too. This fic is, of course, dedicated to her, and I hope she likes it. In addition to that, I'm looking forward to seeing more IshiHime arts from her. Remember to visit my profile if you want the link to the art that inspired this story. Please don't forget to review. Flames are so not welcomed here, got that_?  
_


	6. A Memorable Summer

**Demand for Canon: **Seriously, Hitsugaya and Karin-chan have never even meet in the manga? And there's only this one episode where they played soccer in the anime. I demand more. Hitsugaya and Karin make a great couple! While I browsing through the net for some HitsuKarin fanarts, I came across this artwork of **E—L—M—ODeviantArt**. Oh, gosh, the scene is just wonderful. The expressions and the closeness are to die for here. It's one of the best HitsuKarin arts I have ever laid eyes on. The link to the art is found in my profile.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I only own this story.

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A Picture of Words  
By: JcZala**

**Art Inspiration by: E—L—M—O  
Bleach Pairing: **Toushirou Hitsugaya & Karin Kurosaki**  
Six Remaining Days: **A Memorable Summer

It was another ordinary summer day. No missions and no hollows to hunt down. Everything had been peaceful over the past several months after Sousuke Aizen's defeat. Though there was freedom from strife, the scars of battle have not completely healed from everyone's heart, including his own scars. He had started training harder and more diligently, as he made a vow to get stronger. But his obsession for training made a certain Lieutenant worried, thus suggesting that he should take a week off. He objected to this, of course, but with the help of her friends, they practically dragged him to the Real World and got him inside a gigai, modified to hold his soul for a week.

This time he was sitting in the apartment of a friend, Orihime Inoue, tuning in and out of a soccer game on TV. It was so good of Orihime to take him in, despite his lieutenant's persistence. She was out for the day, and he was bored to death. Perhaps if he was like any ordinary teenager, he would be hanging out with his school friends by now. But he wasn't. He was older than he looks and he was one of the captains of the 13 Court Guards.

Just then, his cell phone rang. The number on the call display was an unknown caller. After letting his phone ring five times, he pressed the answer button and placed the phone over his ear. "Hitsugaya here," he said.

"Toushirou, you free today?"

This voice—It belonged to Karin Kurosaki, Ichigo's little sister.

"How the hell did you get this number?"

"Got it from Orihime-chan," Karin answered. "So, are you free?"

He shrugged. "I'm bored as hell. Why?"

"Meet me at the park at 2 o'clock sharp! Don't be late!" After that she hung up.

That was one quick call. As usual she was pretty demanding. He had met her before and even played soccer with her. They needed his help pretty badly, and he couldn't say no after witnessing the sheer determination she had. Why was she asking him to meet him? That he had no idea, but it would better than staying home all day.

He left the apartment and got to the park exactly at two, where he saw Karin Kurosaki in the flesh. She was the same person, but she looked a bit different now. One thing for sure, her body sure had grown in certain places, and her dark hair was longer and tied in a ponytail. She wore a sleeveless white hoodie and khaki shorts with a pair of black-white sneakers.

He came in his black tennis shirt and blue jeans, yet it did not do justice against the hot weather. "What did you call me out here for?" he asked.

"You're a kid. You're supposed to be enjoying summer, you know."

"First of all, I'm not a kid," he said, narrowing his gaze at her. "And what's so good about the summer? It's too hot."

"Orihime-chan did tell me that you hated the sun." Karin grabbed onto his wrist. "Come on, let's talk someplace else. I know this great cafe and it's air-conditioned." Without giving him the chance to respond, she hauled him away.

As soon as they found their seats at the cafe, the waitress came over and took their orders. When that was done, she excused herself politely and went away.

"Now tell me what this is about."

Karin slammed a sheet of paper down on the table. "This is our list of things to do for the last six days of summer," she said, grinning proudly, and Toushirou arched a brow. "Dude, you need to lighten up since we're gonna do all sorts of things together."

"What the hell?" He looked through the list and sighed. "It's a pass for me."

"You don't have a say on this," she said.

The waitress came by and placed their drinks on the table; a Coke float for Toushirou and Chocolate Mousse for Karin.

"I have the right to decline," Toushirou pressed on, sipping his cola through the straw.

"This time you don't," Karin retorted. He took a sip of her drink as she picked up the list. "I'll go pick you up early tomorrow." She folded up the list carefully and slipped it into her pocket.

"You can't be serious, Kurosaki."

"Oh, I'm dead serious."

He sighed and took a sip of coke. It looks like he was going to spend the summer like other kids do. He figured it wouldn't be too bad since he wasn't going to spend it with a total stranger. He made a mental note to tell Orihime later.

* * *

Karin's call woke him up from his sleep the next morning, 5 AM to be exact. Talk about an early riser! Karin was pretty serious for their summer get-together. She called to remind him once more about their meeting. Was she doing this to annoy him? Or was it because she was excited?

The call also woke up Orihime, and she asked him if the caller was Karin. "She's getting on my last nerves," he replied, running a hand through his hair. "Kurosaki's persistent."

Orihime tucked some stray orange hair behind her ear. "That's Karin-chan all right," she said with a giggle.

And the Summer Event began!

On the first day, he and Karin went swimming at a pool with a bunch of her classmates. To his utter dismay, her female classmates couldn't stop pestering him with questions. They were quite interested in him, saying how cute he looked and how mature he was for his age. It was tiring to hang out with them, but he couldn't be rude. Also it seemed like he wasn't the only one bothered by how the girls swarmed around him. Karin looked very, very annoyed.

The event for the following day was mountain biking. Handling the slopes and downhill were no biggie for them. He had admitted to himself that he was rather impressed with Karin's endurance and speed. She was like on fire as she enjoyed the wind against her face. It was a breath of fresh air to see her enjoying herself so much.

Third Day was hectic since they had to do a part-time job in a Cosplay Cafe. The manager went crazy with the costumes and forced him to wear outfits like Cloud Strife from **FFVII** and Gray Fullbuster from **Fairy Tail**.Karin went for outfits that were worn by tomboyish Anime characters like Cagalli Yula Athha from **Mobile Suit Gundam SEED**.

It was hiking and camping for Day 4 and 5. Some of Karin's classmates came along with them and set up camp in the mountains.

And the agenda for the sixth day was the Festival. Karin had him up early once again for this particular event. He headed to the meeting place, which happened to be the Kurosaki household. When he got there he received a not-so-welcoming greeting from Isshin Kurosaki, dubbed as the idiot father by Karin and Ichigo. Why? Well, being the oh-so-caring and protective father that he was, Isshin warned him not to do anything 'funny' with his precious daughter. Was the father under the impression that he was dating Karin? The very idea sent shivers down his spine.

It was a good thing Karin came in and hauled him back into the house for making such a fuss.

"Don't pay attention to my stupid old man," Karin said with a shrug.

"Good morning to you, Hitsugaya-kun," a petite light-haired girl said as she stepped outside. It was the twin sister, Yuzu Kurosaki. She was Karin's complete opposite. Karin was feisty and a tomboy, while Yuzu was a bubbly and gentle girl with a knack for cooking and cleaning, as what he had heard from Karin herself. She had her hair in two low pigtails. She wore a short-sleeved blue cardigan over a pink knee-length dress. "I've heard so much about you from Karin-chan. She talks about you non-stop everyday during dinner time."

Karin got flustered and lightly punched Yuzu's arm. "I do not!" she retorted. "You're exaggerating, Yuzu!"

He raised a brow at this.

Clearing her throat, Karin looked at him from head to toe. "Do you have a yukata?" she asked.

He has loads of it, but they were back in Soul Society. "No, I don't," he replied.

"Yuzu and I need new yukata and there's a place I saw in the shopping district where they were selling a set with just the right price. We're going there."

"I don't think it's necessary for me to wear one for the festival," he said.

Karin shook her head. "No, you're gonna wear one too!" she said, crossing her arms.

He sighed. Why can't he just say no to this girl?

* * *

Yuzu dragged her sister into the store, picked out the patterns she liked, and pushed her into the dressing room. Putting on a yukata was quite complicated as it looked. It was a good thing that Yuzu was an expert. It sure took up a lot of time just to put on the yukata. When all was done, the twins stepped out of the dressing room and went in front of a full-length mirror.

Pink-colored, Cherry Blossom-patterned yukata for Yuzu, which suited her character well, while Karin had festival flowers and orb patterns on her violet yukata—both looked very stunning. However, he was most awed at Karin. Her hair had been released from its ponytail and flowed a bit past her shoulder.

"Karin-chan, you look so cute!" Yuzu said excitedly. "Violet is totally your color."

Karin seemed very uncomfortable as she kept fidgeting with her obi sash. He figured that she wasn't used to such getup. "It's a bit tight in the chest, Yuzu..." And when she said that, he simply turned his head away. He can't deny the fact that she had assets which were rare for girls her age.

"It's time to choose a yukata for Hitsugaya-kun," Yuzu said, darting towards the men's side, leaving him and Karin alone.

"If you ask me, I'd rather not wear this to the festival, but I don't want to dampen her mood," Karin said as she watched her sister hunt for the right yukata. "It looks weird on me, don't you think?" She turned her head to him.

He had his hands in his pockets and a bored face when he looked at her. Karin in yukata? Weird? Hell no! She looked very elegant, but he could not bring himself to say that to her. "You look fine to me," he said.

There was a slight blush on her face that she quickly hid away by turning her head. "You're just saying that. Come on, I can take the truth. I know that someone like me isn't fit to wear ladylike clothes."

"Even if you're every bit of a tomboy, you're still a girl. I know you're not used to wearing a yukata, but I just want you to know that it unexpectedly suits you."

Her red stain on her cheeks became deeper in shade. "Um...Thanks...I guess..."

* * *

The Summer Festival was buzzing with people when they've arrived. Toushirou, who was wearing a royal blue yukata, felt discouraged to see such a huge crowd, but it was a different case for the Kurosaki sisters who looked equally excited for the festival. He had attended such festivals before together with his childhood friend and lieutenant. Those two would drag him from stand to stand, forcing him to play games and win prizes for them. Though he found them annoying, he sure did have a lot of fun with them.

They hit the stand where you have to shoot targets to win toys. Karin hit the target without any problems and asked Toushirou to give it a try as well. Like Karin, he hit the target effortlessly. Karin took the bunny rabbit toy, while Toushirou got the white tiger toy as the prize. Both of them gave the prizes to Yuzu.

After playing two more games and winning a flower necklace and a Masked Rider mask for Yuzu, they bought some takoyaki and took a seat on a stone bench. Yuzu almost did all the talking as they munched on their delicious food. It was entertaining to hear stories of their childhood, and Toushirou learned more about Karin. Yuzu eventually told him about their mother and he quickly noticed a frown on Karin's face.

Just as they were ready to join the festivities again, Yuzu's close friends from school came and invited her to join them. Yuzu, of course, asked Karin if it was okay. Karin had no problems with it just as long as she gets home in time. As Yuzu scurried off with her friends, Karin and Toushirou were left alone.

"Hey, let's take a look at the other stands," Karin suggested.

"Sure, whatever," he replied nonchalantly.

As they walked through the busy crowd, they got spotted by two of Karin's girl friends from school. One was a brunette with short cropped hair and she was wearing a yellow colored, goldfish-patterned yukata. While the other one was a bespectacled blue-haired girl with braided pigtails and her yukata was green with flower patterns. Both of them greeted Karin with their best smiles before they started ogling Toushirou. They also thought that he was her boyfriend, which she strongly denied. Then when one of them began flirting with him, Karin couldn't help but feel irritated. And Toushirou wasn't doing anything to drive them away. The brunette girl went as far as inviting him to watch the fireworks with her and gave him a light peck on his cheek. Karin clenched her hands as she burned with rage.

Toushirou wasn't comfortable at all with the attention. He wanted to be as far away from these girls. But when he suggested going someplace else Karin snapped at him and marched away. He raised a brow, wondering what he could have done to make her angry. Not bothering to excuse himself from the girls, he ran after Karin. He called out to her, telling her to wait up, but she kept moving along. This was very unlike her.

And before he realized it, she disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

Toushirou still could not find Karin. He had sought out Yuzu's assistance to cover more ground. They've searched every stand, every corner, but to no avail. As they came to rest by the riverbank, they spotted an old shack there. Letting her curiosity flare, Yuzu approached the rickety shock and peeked inside. Though at first it seemed like nobody was home, Yuzu popped her head through the window and saw a girl lying down on the tatami floor. And the instant she recognized the person, she called out to Toushirou.

"It's really Karin-chan," Yuzu said as they entered the shack quietly. "And she's asleep."

The moon served as the only light source and its ethereal glow illuminated Karin's features perfectly. Toushirou can't help but be awed by the unexpected beauty she possessed.

Yuzu was about to wake her sister up when she saw her swollen ankle. "Karin-chan's hurt. She must have tripped somewhere. I'll go search for a first-aid kit." She reached for Toushirou's hand and looked straight at him in the eye. "Please take care of Karin-chan for me in the meantime, okay? Thank you!" She bowed her head and ran past him in a hurry.

Toushirou sighed and went to sit down right beside her. "This is what you get for running off like that," he muttered under his breath as he gazed down at her face. "Just why did you act that way?" He lay down on his back, positioning his hands behind his hair.

Karin had been energetic the whole time they were together, though he would notice her scowl every time a girl approaches him. But the summer had been a blast with her. Because of his responsibilities he had forgotten what it was like to be a kid. Karin really showed him a good time and he will always remember this summer. If it weren't for his lieutenant's request, he would never have enjoyed himself. The vacation was just what he needed. Maybe he should go buy something for her before he leaves for Soul Society.

His name suddenly escaped from her lips, making his heart skip a beat. Was she dreaming of him? The thought made him flush red a bit. That can't be right. Why would Karin Kurosaki dream of him? Just then, she snuggled up to him and grasped onto his yukata with her left hand. "K-Kurosaki...?" She was clearly asleep, much to his relief, but she was too close for comfort.

"Toushirou...let's play soccer again..." she mumbled in her sleep, and his lips curved into a smile.

So, Karin was really dreaming of him, and it made him quite happy. This was the last day of summer for the year, the last day before he resumes his duties as captain. And to be able to spend it with her was more like a blessing to him.

"Thank you, Kurosaki..." he whispered into her ear as he closed his eyes.

* * *

The door slid open and in came Yuzu, carrying some bandages and a bottle of ointment in her hands. "Umm...I'm sorry if I took so long," she said in between her pants. "I had to run to the pharmacy and—" She stopped dead in her tracks the moment she saw Toushirou and her sister sleeping together under the pale moonlight. "Wow...They look so cute together."

She knew something was up between the two of them. Karin had always talked about Toushirou ever since they got together for the summer. Karin may not realize it herself, but Yuzu can tell that she was falling for Toushirou. It made her heart flutter to see her sister together with the boy she liked and in such a position too! She would definitely tease Karin about this in the morning. For now she would just leave them be. To ruin such a perfect, tranquil moment would be a sin, she thought with a giggle.

"I'm sure the fireworks will wake them up later," she said, leaving the bandages and ointment by their side. "This is one summer you'll never forget. Sweet dreams, you two." She turned around on her heel and started to the door. She spared one more glance at the two before she closed the door.

THE END

* * *

**JC:** Seven and a half pages? I never expected it to be this long. My goal was 5 pages long, but it turned out this way. This is my first time writing a HitsuKarin fic and I simply had no idea how to portray them. They may come off as a bit OOC here, so I apologize for that. But I cannot resist Hitsugaya and Karin-chan, and the wonderful art really gave me the inspiration. You can find the art link in my profile, so just go there if interested. Please send me the reviews. No flaming. Now which couple should I focus on next?


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